Teesside University teams up with funding experts to help SMEs

Grant experts Nudl have been dubbed a “natural ally” when it comes to enabling SMEs to access funding through Teesside University’s Grow Tees Valley project.

Nudl has secured a contract with the university to support Teesside’s small and medium businesses with their growth plans. The partnership means that with the support of Nudl, businesses can access “growth spark vouchers,” which enable them to claim back 55% of the cost of expertise or specialist equipment they need to develop new ideas, products and services.

Shak Asghar, chief executive officer of Nudl, said everyone at the company is delighted to have the opportunity to enable SMEs across Teesside to tap into the benefits of the Grow Tees Valley project.

“The Grow Tees Valley project is a natural fit for Nudl, as we are experts in supporting businesses to access grant funding and it is our mission to help SMEs in our local area to grow and prosper,” said Shak.

“We are delighted to be working with Suhail Aslam and the rest of the Grow Tees Valley team at Teesside University, as they are doing an amazing job of inspiring entrepreneurship on Teesside. They not only demonstrate that growing a successful business in the region is a possibility, but they are actually making that a reality for many SMEs in our local area, through the effective use of European Funding.”

“We look forward to helping a wide range of entrepreneurs grow their businesses on our doorstep and will gain a real sense of satisfaction from seeing how they develop, thanks to the funding we help them to secure from Grow Tees Valley.”

As an anchor institution for the Tees Valley, the regeneration of the region’s economy through business engagement and enterprise support is a key part of Teesside University’s mission. The Grow Tees Valley project has a well-established track record of working with local SMEs to help them grow by developing new products, embedding new services or entering new markets.

Suhail Aslam, an innovation, R&D and growth specialist at Teesside University who is managing the Grow Tees Valley Project, said: “We need to identify companies in the Tees Valley who are on a growth journey and need support to help them develop and deliver either a new product or a new service.

“I’ve known Shak for a number of years - he has worked in business development and supported businesses with their growth plans, so I knew Nudl was a natural ally in terms of understanding the journey those businesses are on. He also understands what we at Teesside University are trying to achieve.”

He added: “Nudl as a business already help SMEs in the Tees Valley and further afield access funding and from my point of view, it was very easy to work with Nudl to help support SMEs in accessing Growth Spark funding.”

The University’s Grow Tees Valley project, which has been made possible by the European Union European Regional Development Fund is also supported by the Government’s Northern Powerhouse initiative.

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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